Police must stop madness

HARARE – The continued crackdown by police on ordinary citizens in Harare and other places has just shown that Zimbabwe, specifically its security sector, is far from reform.

For the second day running, heavily-armed anti-riot units pounced on ordinary folks in the capital under the guise of an operation against elements who fomented Wednesday’s skirmishes or running battles in Harare’s First Street Mall.

In that episode, police pounced on the MDC headquarters and rounded several people, including bystanders, before carting them off to Harare Central Police Station.

It has become increasingly difficult for many to believe that our country’s law enforcement agents are not batting on one political party’s instructions and with an election looming this year or in 2013 the future can only be dire.

And in all fairness, is the unprovoked drama and running battles with vendors really necessary for a country that is trying to redeem its battered image: politically and economically?

In whose interest are these actions and who exactly is directing these shameful, and mindless actions?

Which serious political party or leadership expects to be elected by an ordinary people or electorate — including vendors — when the same group or elite is leading a crusade against such ordinary folks?

There is no one in government, civil society or any other social strata who will deny the fact that Zimbabwe is still a shaky economy and one wracked by job shortages, yet we have a bunch of people or individuals who think it is fashionable to fight a distressed population trying to elk a living.

In this madness, not only has the name and brand of the national police been dragged through the gutter, but no one in their right frame of mind will ever believe Zimbabwe can handle her affairs alone, especially ahead of a key national event like the 2012 or 2013 polls.

There has been too much unrest in Zimbabwe since the dawn of the new millennium and the sooner President Robert Mugabe, and his government colleagues sincerely act on this chaos the better.

We may have had joint meetings and proposals for rallies to “condemn” violence in recent weeks, but if the “provocative streak” is also not checked from other supposed sober-quarters, the country remains stuck in the sewer.